The Desperate Hours

Movie · Drama · Thriller

Three escaped felons randomly target a suburban house to hide out in until midnight, when an accomplice plans to deliver them money. They take the entire family hostage, but midnight comes and goes without a delivery. As their stay extends from hours into days, homeowner Dan Hilliard complies with the felons' no-police demands to protect his wife and two children, while trying to plot an escape from the desperate situation.

1955 · 1h 52m
  • 88%
Starring Humphrey Bogart, Fredric March, Martha Scott
Director William Wyler

Trailers

  • The Desperate Hours
    Drama

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Cast & Crew

  • Humphrey Bogart
    Glenn Griffin
  • Fredric March
    Dan Hilliard
  • Martha Scott
    Eleanor Hilliard
  • Arthur Kennedy
    Jesse Bard
  • Dewey Martin
    Hal Griffin
  • Gig Young
    Chuck Wright
  • Mary Murphy
    Cindy Hilliard
  • Richard Eyer
    Ralphie Hilliard
  • Robert Middleton
    Kobish
  • Alan Reed
    Detective
  • Bert Freed
    Tom Winston

About

The Desperate Hours

Drama

Three escaped felons randomly target a suburban house to hide out in until midnight, when an accomplice plans to deliver them money. They take the entire family hostage, but midnight comes and goes without a delivery. As their stay extends from hours into days, homeowner Dan Hilliard complies with the felons' no-police demands to protect his wife and two children, while trying to plot an escape from the desperate situation.

88%

TOMATOMETER
Average 7
Reviews 8
Fresh 7
Rotten 1

Information

Studio
Paramount
Released
1955
Run Time
1 hr 52 min
Rated
PG
Region of Origin
United States
© 2007 by Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Languages

Original Audio
English
Audio

English (United States) (AAC)

Subtitles

English (CC)

Accessibility

Closed captions refer to subtitles in available languages with the addition of relevant non-dialogue information.
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Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

  • Armenia
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bahrain
  • Botswana
  • Brunei Darussalam
  • Cape Verde
  • Egypt
  • Eswatini
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • India
  • Israel
  • Jordan
  • Lebanon
  • Mauritius
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Niger (English)
  • Oman
  • Qatar
  • Saudi Arabia
  • South Africa
  • Sri Lanka
  • Tajikistan
  • Turkmenistan
  • Uganda
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Zimbabwe

Asia Pacific

  • Australia
  • Cambodia
  • Fiji
  • 香港
  • Indonesia (English)
  • 日本
  • Lao People's Democratic Republic
  • 澳門
  • Malaysia (English)
  • Micronesia, Federated States of
  • Mongolia
  • New Zealand
  • Philippines
  • Singapore
  • 대한민국
  • 台灣
  • Thailand
  • Turkmenistan
  • Vietnam

Europe

  • Armenia
  • Österreich
  • Belarus
  • Belgium
  • Bulgaria
  • Cyprus
  • Czechia
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France (Français)
  • Deutschland
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Ireland
  • Italia
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg (English)
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  • Moldova, Republic Of
  • Nederland
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal (Português)
  • Россия
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • España
  • Sverige
  • Schweiz
  • Türkiye (English)
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  • United Kingdom

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Anguilla
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Argentina (Español)
  • Bahamas
  • Belize
  • Bermuda
  • Bolivia (Español)
  • Brasil
  • Virgin Islands, British
  • Cayman Islands
  • Chile (Español)
  • Colombia (Español)
  • Costa Rica (Español)
  • Dominica
  • República Dominicana
  • Ecuador (Español)
  • El Salvador (Español)
  • Grenada
  • Guatemala (Español)
  • Honduras (Español)
  • México
  • Nicaragua (Español)
  • Panamá
  • Paraguay (Español)
  • Perú
  • St. Kitts and Nevis
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Venezuela (Español)

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  • Canada (Français)
  • United States
  • Estados Unidos (Español México)